A Touch of Drama
by AlyssC01
Summary: Conclusion to my 'Touch' series. My version of the events of So the Drama after the conclusion of 'The Healer's Touch'. R/R please. Sequel to The Touch of Green Fire and The Healer's Touch - to be read in that order.
1. Prologue

_TITLE: A Touch of Drama _

_AUTHOR: Alyssa C_

_CATEGORY: Drama and Angst. _

_SPOILERS: So The Drama _

_PAIRINGS: KiGo _

_RATING: T_

_WARNINGS: The mention of a sexual relationship between two women; foul language; and angst because this is me. ;) _

_FEEDBACK: Oh please, please please. Will do tricks for reviews. _

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kim Possible or any of its characters. All original characters are the property of the author but they are fair game if they are worthy. I do not make any money out of this. _

_AN: This story is the third instalment to my series which I'm loosely referring to as "The Touch Series". (title in progress, lol). The first is The Touch of Green Fire, and the second story is The Healer's Touch. They must be read in order. This story takes place during the events of So the Drama, where I put my own spin on things in order to explain Kim's actions during the film through the eyes of the teenager moulded by the events of The Touch of Green Fire and The Healer's Touch. In a sense, it's the reason I had started this monster series because I felt I wanted to understand what would drive Kim to say the words that she did below. It was interesting for me to see that the first time I watched _So the Drama_, this scene was depicted then, a couple of months later they had edited out the "I hate you" portion.  
Either way. For those of you who are still reading this story, thank you. I appreciate you coming back for all its length and angst. If all goes to plan, we'll have a definitive conclusion on this. ;) Now – without further delay – read on. My writing of Kimberley as Kimberlee is intentional. _

**Prologue: The Storm. **

Lightening flashed overhead, streaking beautiful patterns across the dark and stormy sky, illuminating the massive tower which stood above her. A couple of minutes ago it had been blinking red as it send it's command signal to millions of Diablos across the globe but now it was as powerless as the city around them.

Kimberlee Ann Possible balled her fists as the rain continued to pelt down around her, dripping down her neck, into her eyes, her hair and down her back despite the protection of the super suit.

None of this mattered to her, though. In fact – she hardly even noticed as she took a menacing step forward where a figure had just pulled herself to her feet, staring at the dead tower with an air of dismay. When she turned around, her back stiffened as she saw Kim coming towards her.

The two women regarded each other - one dressed in white the other one dressed in black – their green gazes meeting through the darkness.

Kim could see a lot of emotions in Shego's gaze: regret, fear, hesitation and - to her ire - amusement. She could see the woman calculating what her next step was going to be, what move she was going to make.

Hatred unlike any she had ever felt before boiled up inside her when she realized once again that the woman had played her from the start. That everything that had happened in the past couple of months had been directed at this, now failed moment of glory for Drakken. Shego had helped her, only so that she could stab her in the back.

She could see that Shego saw something change in her because she dropped her shoulders protectively and started to move herself into a defensive position.

"Do you know what I really hate?" Kim heard herself whispering, unable to stop the blackness which had consumed her soul from controlling her actions.

Shego could clearly see this and narrowed her eyes.

"That your date melted?" she queried spitefully, unbolting the last of Kim's self-control.

"No," Kim said sharply. "_You_."

She didn't know where the power or speed came from with which she lashed out at Shego. Perhaps it was because the woman had reacted slower than she normally did. All Kim knew, though, was before Shego could move out of her way, she managed to hit the woman with the full force of her new super suit, sending her flying back over the side of the building and into the large signal tower. There was a loud crack as the tower bent and crumbled around the villainess, toppling to the ground and taking her with it.

Kim watched it fell with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Then, not blinking, she turned around and walked away, resolved not to spare the villainess another fault, for whatever her fate will be.

It was, after all, what she had done to her.

_To Be Continued…_


	2. 01: The Beginning of the End

**Chapter 01: The Beginning of the End. **

The worst bit was that _life carried on. _You didn't die from a broken heart, even if you wanted to.

Two days after her mother returned home from hospital, Kimberlee Ann Possible returned to school and fell back into the safety of her normal routine. The only problem was that it didn't feel right anymore. She tried to pretend that everything was alright but the truth was that felt as if she was standing on the outside of her life looking in on an act. She smiled and laughed, studied diligently and worked hard during cheerleading practice.

All the while, the numbness inside her grew and enveloped her like a curtain.

It felt as if everybody was treating her differently as well. Her mother kept looking at her with an immeasurable sadness, as if she saw nothing but sorrow in her for the rest of her life. Ron kept trying to act as if everything was normal, he still came round to over her a ride on his bike every day before school, laughed loudly whenever he could and continued to be her light hearted, somewhat goofy friend. But, Kim couldn't help but feel that it was all an act. Whether to try and distract her from her own feelings, or hide his – she couldn't say. All she knew was that it was worse than Wade's cold silence.

_He_ rarely called her socially, wounded by her lack of trust in them when she refused to tell that she was going to go to Shego for help. Wade's world was very black and white, it needed to be. Kim understood that because if Wade thought that evil had a good side, there would be no saving the world from his genius.

But, it hurt. She hurt and nothing that she did took that pain away.

She hoped that relief would come from her missions but even the criminal world seemed to have quieted down. Nobody had heard from Drakken in weeks, last seen when he came to save Shego from the hospital and Seniors seemed to be on holiday.

Kim would've done anything for a little bit of attempted world domination or even just a cat stuck in a tree but there was nothing – just her normal, boring, routine.

888

She had just gotten home from school when her Kimmunicator beeped. Having gotten so accustomed to not hearing it she stared at it for several seconds until one of her brothers hit her with a wadded up piece of paper from where they had been sitting in front of the television, doing their homework.

"Hey!" Tim yelled as she blinked at him. "If you're not going to answer that, can we play with it?"

Kim snapped out of her reverie and glared at him. "Tweebs!" she snapped. "Pick up your mess." She ran up the stairs, turning on her Kimmunicator as she did so.

"What's the sitch Wade?" Her answer was routine, habit yet she could still see Wade hesitate for a second before he gave her a brief smile.

"Hi Kim," he said slowly. "How was school?"

For a brief second, she wanted to be flippant, telling him that if he was interested, he could just have dropped by her locker but instead, she smiled at him, controlling her temper.

"Oh, you know – the usual," she said lightly, also not quite willing to let him off of the hook completely. "What can I do for you Wade?" _I know that you won't call me socially..._

He hesitated, studying her, then finally smiled slightly.

"I ah... I mean, that is - Miss Kyoko called, Nakasumi-san wants to know if you can help with some protection detail tonight. There's this Toy Parade in Tokyo and he's... worried."

Having reached her room, Kim frowned and dropped down on her bed, holding the Kimmunicator above her head.

"Will there be any high tech at the parade?" she queried to which Wade shrugged.

"Just the usual," he pointed out. "Toys. Nothing worth stealing that you can't buy in a store. He's just... Jumpy."

Kim raised an eyebrow and stared at her friend.

"Jumpy?" she queried to which he nodded, appearing embarrassed.

"Yes," he replied. "Jumpy."

Kim raised an eyebrow. "As in jumpy the way you described me last week?" she pointed out.

Wade surrendered. "Yes," he said. "And, let me be the grown up and say that I'm sorry. You have been jumpy Kim, jumpy to get out, jumpy to get away. This is your chance, it can be fun!" The distance that Kim had been sensing in him seemed to fade away as he grinned at her like a little boy.

Unable to help herself, Kim grinned. "Ron would love it Wade," she said. "Thank you."

Wade grinned at her though his features briefly became hesitant.

"You'll be okay KP?" He queried. "I mean – you won't..." He seemed to struggle to think of what to say.

Kim sighed and put the Kimmunicator down so that she could start getting dressed in her mission clothes, already doing the math on how long it will take them to get to Tokyo.

"It'll be like old times Wade," she said lightly. "Don't worry, I'm over myself. And thank you for this, I really appreciate it." She should've said sorry as well, but – she couldn't make herself say the words though what she had said seemed to be enough for Wade.

Although she couldn't see him, she knew him well enough to know that he was smiling.

After taking several deep breaths, she mustered up the strength to smile as well.

Going on a mission was routine after all.

888

He watched her as she flowed through the gathered ninja's, her jet black hair trailing down her back.

Shego looked good – _very_ good – Drakken mused as he watched his side-kick. Really, she could be known as his second in command, but that would bring complications into their contract. And, he liked to think that he was solely in charge of his operations.

But, in that same breath he had to admit that he would not be able to talk to the men as she did. She spoke to the ninja's in a low, sharp tone – her gaze meeting every one of theirs as she repeated her orders.

"You are to provide me with ground cover," she said. "I will acquire the target. I am counting on you to make sure that the target is in the right position for pick up. Also, if there is any interference it will be up to you to neutralize it, especially if it is Kim Possible and her damned sidekick. I want them out of the way." He waited to hear her falter, but she didn't, her words clear and confident. "Remember," she added, her tone dropping lower. "What ever they can send your way isn't half of what I can do if you guys fail me. I am _counting_ on you."

Shego didn't count on a lot of people.

They all bowed to her as one and, at her signal, retreated to their individual modes of transport. Shego watched them disperse and then turned around, giving Drakken a cold look when she noticed him staring at her.

"Anything to add?" she queried as she flowed to his size, her movements snake like.

Drakken smiled at her, though his face held no humour. "I liked your last threat," he said. "They expect you to follow up on it."

Shego snorted and placed her one hand in her hip. "They know that I will," she said coldly. "Any last orders or are we going to stand here all day chatting?"

Drakken shook his head and turned to fix her with a stern look. "I would just like to stress that you can't fail any more than your men can," he said. "This is possibly the most important mission that you have ever done for me Shego and if you feel that you are not up for it, then you must tell me now."

Shego blinked at him, clearly unsure of what he was saying and then, quite suddenly, furious that he showed doubt her.

"If you want to do it, just say!" she snapped. "God Dr. D, when have I ever given you _any_ reason to doubt me? Between the two of us, _you_ have more screw ups against your name than _I_ do. I only ever fail when _your_ plans do!"

Drakken gave her an icy look. "It takes two to tango Shego," he said coldly. "And, before you go Mount St. Helens on me, I've never doubted you. But, this is the first time that you've gone out for me since you were taken up in hospital. And, it will probably be the first time that you see Kim Possible since you blew her off. I hope."

Shego snorted, but he saw her back stiffen. "Drakken, if you seriously think that Kim's the first person I 'blew off'," she made quotation marks with her hands, "then you are in serious denial about my love life. I told you, that little escapade's over."

Drakken didn't drop her gaze immediately. "You and I both know that's not true," he said coldly. "It will begin again and again when you face Kim Possible. I just want to make sure that you have what it takes to finish it every time."

Shego snorted and rolled her eyes.

"I have what it takes Dr. D," she said – her anger slipping away to exasperation. "You know that I'm that good."

When he didn't say anything, she left him, her hair bouncing off of her back as she walked to her awaiting jet.

Drakken folded his hands behind his back and watched her enter the cockpit, speak a few more words with her troops and then started to direct them one by one to exit the hanger.

He could tell that she didn't take him as serious as he wanted her to take him, unable to understand that this plan commencing on _this_ day might well be the one.

World domination was around the corner and he _needed_ Kim to remember the pain that Shego had caused her. It was one of the reasons he needed Shego out in the field but it wouldn't help him one bit if his side-kick wasn't prepared for the next couple of weeks.

Smiling to himself, unable to help it, he started whistling as he went back to his lab to put the finishing touches on synthodrone number 901.

_To Be Continued…_

_AN: My apologies for taking so long to get round to this, I lost the first version of this document and then got very busy with a personal project as well as my work. Please remind me why I want to work again? Oh yes. Work pays for my internet connection. There for, technically they pay me to enable to write… Hmm. _

_Thank you for all the reviews that I received on the first chapter! I didn't reply to all individually, (I had trouble with my internet connection) but thank you! :D Reviews feed plot bunnies. ;) _

_Alyss _

_3-;-_


	3. 02: Smoke Screne

_AN: For this, I'm assuming that most of you know the story line of So the Drama. Therefore, naturally – I'm going to change it slightly. When you find that dialogue with my story and dialogue with the original movie does not coincide, please bear in mind that this is has been build on the past two 'Touch' tales. Thanks to PixiJenn and TenchiKnight for Betaing this for me. _

**Chapter 02: Smoke Screen. **

The sound of drums filled the air and people where whistling from the street. Sitting inside the float which carried her client, Kim leaned against the one metal frame supporting it and smiled, breathing in the festivities around her even if she could see any of it. She loved being out again, admitting to herself that part of her bad mood from the past couple of days was due to the fact that she was getting cabin fever at home. She wasn't used to staying in one place for too long at end.

The fact that she knew home was always there waiting for her made it so much easier to go out on missions. Home was safe and never changed.

_What kind of a life do I have?_ Kim wondered as she watched Ron as he tried to squint out one of the canvas holes to see what was going on outside. _Not even military kids move around as much as I do. Has it changed me? For the better?_ Unbidden – her thought returned to that day on DuPont's island. _Or, for the worst?_

She knew by now though that there were no answers to those questions.

"Man I'm glad we came!" Ron exclaimed from his side of the float. "Dude, did you see the dragon KP! And these drums, these people are like 'pum pum pum pum'" he mimicked hitting a drum, "they never miss a beat! Man, I love Tokyo!" He paused. "You okay KP?"

She pushed herself away from the metal frame and smiled at him. "Yeah," she said. "I'm just enjoying the atmosphere. Nakasumi-san knows how to throw a good parade."

"A booya!" Ron confirmed and looked outside again. "You think anybody's gonna show..." He paused. "And why do you think Nakasumi ordered smoke to be shot around his float?"

Kim blinked at Ron for a second. "Smoke?" she queried and went to his peeping hole, just in time to see three ninjas descend down upon the toymaker and his assistant. "Ron! They're here!"

"Who?" Ron asked surprised, earning him an irritated look from Kim.

"Does it matter?" she snapped. "Nakasumi's in danger!"

She leapt out before he could reply.

888

Shego had faith in the ninjas because she had picked them herself and they were certainly better than Drakken's regular henchmen or the synthodrones he constantly tried to perfect. But, even she wasn't surprised when she saw that they were being bested by Kim Possible with a minimal amount of help from her sidekick.

At the sight of the red head, Shego couldn't help but remember the last time that she saw her with the broken expression of someone who had had her heart shattered. She distanced herself from Kim with reason, believing that it was better for the both of them if they didn't see each other on a social basis anymore. She had a job to do and so did Kim. And, as they stood on different sides of the law, it could really complicated matters.

She believed that it was for the best, but in truth – she knew in her heart that she had made a mistake.

She felt a pulse of that as she saw the teen and her friend almost crushed by the biggest of the ninjas but then she immediately remembered Drakken's last words to her.

"_It will begin again and again when you face Kim Possible. I just want to make sure that you have what it takes to finish it every time." _

She sneered and searched for Nakasumi, finding that he and his assistant were standing some distance from the teen hero and her sidekick. Acquiring a target lock with her sensors, Shego pushed Kim from her mind and fired, catching Nakasumi with her first try.

_Like taking candy from a baby,_ Shego thought satisfied, sending a mental gloat towards Drakken as she waited for the mechanical arm to reel in the toymaker. A light on her dashboard flared up suddenly, telling her that there had been a problem. When she looked out of her window she realized that Kim Possible had somehow managed to lunge up and grab Nakasumi's legs.

"Damn you Cupcake!" Shego growled despite herself, immediately feeling a wave of concern for the young woman. _What would happen if she fell? If they crash into something? Should she just..._

"No!" Shego growled at herself, again hearing Drakken's doubt that she had what it took to face Kim Possible "Damn you all..."

She dropped her altitude regardless, hoping that Kim would take the opportunity to drop her grip on the old man at street level but, when it became clear that she wasn't going to let go, Shego pulled up...

_It is none of my business,_ she thought. _I have to lose her no matter what. I shouldn't care what happens to her when she falls..._

888

Ron was having trouble with his blaster briefs and, not for the first time, he wondered what had inspired their young genius to build a rocket into his underwear.

_Immature sense of humour,_ he thought – then remembered suddenly that _he_ had thought that it was a pretty good idea as well. _Can a person be that childish?_

He had managed to, by accident, save Kim from the ninjas which had almost descended upon her and Nakasumi-san but now he found himself blasting towards the speeding jet at an uncontrolled speed. He crashed into it, the impact knocking his wind out as he instinctively grabbed for some support. When opened his eyes, he found himself looking into the surprised and slightly annoyed eyes of Shego, but the irritation that he saw in her eyes wasn't a scratch on what he felt.

_All of this was her fault,_ Ron thought as he glared at Shego through the glass, oblivious to the fact that they were speeding through open air at a hundred miles an hour above the city of Tokyo. Ever since Shego had fallen ill, Kim had been acting strange. She had somehow managed to change his friend, corrupt her. He had seen a fury in Kim that day on DuPont's island that he had not thought she possessed. She has been so furious that he had no doubt that she would've been able to kill the billionaire who had kidnapped her mother.

Kim never spoke about what had happened between her and Shego, but Ron knew that there must be something because Kim had never kept secrets from him till now.

He wanted to yell at Shego to stop and go down so that they could all get off, but the villainess smiled at him suddenly and did a 180 degree spin with her jet. He couldn't hold on any longer but fell off, luckily managing to collide with Kim and Nakasumi-san during his descend. The world blurred as they fell to the ground and he closed his eyes as he felt Kim's familiar body beneath him. He lost a couple of seconds in which the only thing he was aware of was his own screaming but then the sensation of falling stopped as Kim fired her hair dryer...

888

Kim clung to her hair dryer, her gaze sweeping upwards to make sure that the end was wrapped around a secure post. Ron was still screaming, a sound which deafened her to the quiet prayer that Nakasumi-san was whispering under his breath as he clung to her. The jet which had attacked them came at them again and this time, Kim could clearly see who was responsible for this chaos.

Her eyes narrowed as she locked gazes with Shego.

For a moment time stopped as they looked at each other and it was as if they were alone. The anger and betrayal that she had felt when Shego dumped her in the dark park flared up again as she looked at the older woman's determined face. She had shot out a clamp from the front end of her jet and was once again trying to grab Nakasumi-san. She managed to secure his jacket but Kim, thinking quickly, let go of the hair dryer and grabbed onto Nakasumi's waist, pulling him down hard so that he slipped out of his jacket. As they fell to the ground and onto an inflated balloon, Shego's jet spun away, taking half of the balloons with her as she struggled gain altitude without crashing into one of the buildings.

Kim followed her progress all the way as she stared up at her from her back and only realized that she was whispering something under her breath when Nakasumi-san pushed himself up and frowned at her.

"Crash?" he said, the English word probably unfamiliar with him. Kim blinked and came back to herself. She took a deep breath and smiled lightly.

"What a crash Nakasumi-san," she said loudly and pushed herself up just in time to see Ms. Kyoko run towards them. Sirens filled the air as the police pushed through the parade goers but they were already too late for all the ninjas had disappeared. "Ron, are you alright?"

Her friend pushed himself up from where he had been sitting, looking bruised and embarrassed. "Err, yeah," he said. "KP, have you seen my pants anywhere?"

Knowing that she _had_ to, Kim smiled and pulled him up. "You can be _very_ thankful that Wade made those briefs fireproof."

Ron blinked as if the thought had never occurred to him and looked down bewildered. When he saw that Kim was right, he grinned like a madman and punched his fist into the air.

"Let's hear a booyah for blaster briefs!" he exclaimed and grinned at Kyoko who was fussing over her boss. "Tell Nakasumi-san that this occasion is booyah worthy if he wondered."

Miss Kyoko gave Ron a bit of a bewildered look and whispered something in Nakasumi-san's ear as she straightened his tie.

The older man gave her a weary look then grinned and looked at Ron.

"Booyah," he said. "Well done Ron-chan."

Ron grinned, taking the spare pair of pants Kim handed him, her eyes dancing with genuine amusement this time.

"You know he just called you a child," she said softly to which Ron shrugged.

"Doesn't matter," he said, "Dude, spoke English and said Booyah, that's all that matters."

Kim rolled her eyes dramatically and patted her friend on the back. "Thanks for helping me out there," she said. "And for taking care of those ninjas."

Ron shrugged, still grinning as he got on the pants and his modesty. "No sweat," he said. "It was dumb luck."

"Yeah," Kim said wistfully and looked at the trail of smoke the jet had left. "I wonder what Drakken wants with Nakasumi."

Ron made a grumbling sound in the back of his throat. "I still think that he wants to steal Christmas," he said, "but with him you never know. Luckily he didn't succeed right?"

Kim didn't reply immediately but found herself still looking at the sky. _Shego could've killed me with that stunt of hers,_ she thought angrily. _She didn't even blink. She could've killed me and she didn't even blink..._

888

By the time that she got to the secret lair, Shego was furious. When her jet settled into place, she jumped out and stormed into the lair, immediately noticing how all the cameras in the area turned to her.

_He knows now,_ she thought. _He knows of my failure._

Her hand tightened on the jacket she had pulled off of Nakasumi, evidence of her inability to capture the toymaker. One of Drakken's scientists came up to her, his eyes eager behind his tinted glasses.

"Brain-tap machine ready for the prisoner!" he exclaimed but she threw him with the jacket.

"There is no prisoner!" she snapped. These people had to be told in bold or else they never got the message. "Go tap yourself."

She wanted to get to her room as quickly as possible and take a hot shower so that she didn't have to face Drakken.

_I failed._

If she had just gone up the moment she captured Nakasumi without trying to give Kim the chance to get off, things might've been different. She had tried to save the teenager and ended up compromising the mission. If Drakken ever found out...

The ground gave way beneath her and, before she could think she found herself sliding down to one of the inner layers, into a dark chamber. She recovered quickly and scrambled to her feet only to find herself illuminated by a bright light.

"You have failed me Shego," Drakken's voice was dark and sinister.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Shego allowed her body to relax as she made a dismissive gesture with her hand.

"You win some you lose some," she said – even though she knew that it was no excuse. "Lay off Dr. D, I'm tired." She started to walk in a general direction, but more lights came on, revealing a handful of synthodrones. Shego gave them a suspicious look and turned around, wondering where the exit was.

"If you're tired," Drakken said, "you have lost your form Shego and the proof of it is in your performance today! You will not fail me again. You will not get the chance."

And with that, the synthodrones attacked.

888

_To Be Continued..._


	4. 03: Loyalty

**Chapter 03:**** Loyalty. **

Concentration, it was all about concentration.

Shego watched the synthodrones as they rushed towards her. She barely had the time to notice that they seemed to move better than usual before she had to leap away from the first one who reached her. She jumped high, spreading her arms and somersaulting over her assailant's head, knowing that the synthodrones took a few seconds to recalculate their movements.

_Score one for biological neurons… _

Even before she cleared his head, he leapt up, grabbed her legs and threw her across the room.

Like a cat, Shego landed on her feet, twisting her body in the air before she hit the ground. She slid to a stop, almost dropping to her knees to keep her balance but she remained upright. She only had a second to gape at the machine before the others were on top of her. This time she rolled out of the way but anticipated their quick recovery well enough to dodge the kick that came her way. When she blocked it she had to move quickly to dodge another. She grabbed that synthodrone and threw him into the one that had just tried to kick her. Then, she turned her attention to the others who had already gathered around her.

"Nice," she said loudly – knowing that Drakken was listening and watching. "These guys might actually _win_ in a fair fight."

She dodged two blows, managed to punch one but almost got swept off of her feet for her triumph. Angry that she was almost pinned by a machine, Shego jumped back and focused.

"Of course," she said. "I don't play fair."

She ignited her hands and blasted the synthodrone running towards her right in the chest. If Drakken had half a mind instead of a twisted one, he would've realized by now that he had to make his minions fireproof. But, he didn't and synthodrone exploded like a geyser. Shego readied herself to attack the others but before she could the lights snapped on and Drakken walked in from the corner where he was standing, his face angry and disappointed.

"Shego!" he moaned as he knelt by his fallen warrior. "Must you always break my toys?"

The villainess didn't relax immediately, letting the fires burn around her hands. "Hey," she snapped. "You send them to attack me. I was only defending myself. What's gotten into you?"

Drakken snorted as he stirred the green goo the synthodrone had been reduced to. "I can ask you the same thing," he pointed out. "What the hell happened today?"

She drew back, schooling her face to calm to keep herself from winching. For a split second she considered blaming the ninjas – but, she had chosen them herself. And, she knew in her heart of hearts that the fault lay with her this time.

"You win some you lose some," Shego said simply as she let the fires die. "There were complications."

Drakken's face was hard as he looked at her. He didn't answer immediately, making her uncomfortable. The synthodrones were still standing around them, their presence bordering on threatening. It was as if their stoic faces reflected Dr. Drakken's displeasure with her.

"There was only one complication Shego," Drakken said finally – his voice as cold as the synthodrones' mechanical bodies. "And that was you. Don't blame this on Kim Possible – I saw the news. I saw what you _couldn't do_. You messed around with that damned jet. You had Nakasumi, all you needed to do was come home. And you didn't. You gave Kim an opportunity on a _silver_ plate to save the toymaker. Don't deny it."

She didn't, but continued to look at him, not knowing what to say. She knew that he could see it in her eyes, the conformation of his words, when his eyes became hard.

"Kim Possible has become your weakness," he said coldly. "Much like I feared."

Her reaction was immediately. "That is not true!" she snapped. "I just had a lapse in judgement! It won't happen again!"

Drakken glared at her and shook his head. "How can I believe you?" he queried. "You reassured me before the mission, not even twelve hours ago, that you will not be affected by your recent roll in the teenage hay. How can I trust you now?"

It wasn't his anger that got to her, but the frank disappointment that she could see in his eyes. She wanted to scream against it, tell him that she was still good, that she could do what he needed to do. But, that was too desperate – especially for her so all she could say was simply:

"It won't happen again."

Drakken's eyes narrowed and he turned his back on her as he started to walk out. "Naturally," he said. "I won't use you again."

Those words came like a blow.

"What?" she exclaimed. "You can't do that!" She rushed to join his side, grabbing his arm to stop him. "You can't make it to your room without me!"

The mad scientist snorted and pulled out of her grip. "You've been MIA for almost two months Shego," he pointed out. "First your illness, then with your gallivant with Kim Possible. Now, if you haven't noticed Shego, this place didn't fall to the ground without you." He motioned with his hands around him and glared at her.

"You are a good person to have by one's side, I'll give you that. But, if you cannot be trusted, if I am not sure that you are _absolutely_ loyal to me, how can I count on you?"

"You can count on me." The words left her mouth unbidden, softly.

"Really?" Drakken queried bitterly. "How do I know you do not hold more loyalty towards Kim Possible than towards me? How do I know that – when the time is right, you will choose the right side? That you will help me destroy her?"

_Destroy her._

Shego closed her eyes briefly and took a steadying breath. "I will choose you Dr. D," she said miserably. "I am yours. I always have been. This… Today, won't happen again."

He chuckled, he actually _dared_ to chuckle at her expense. "You have given me no reassurances," he pointed out. "If you were to help me weaken Kim Possible I'd still believe you. But…"

She began to get the feeling that she had been played.

"What do you want to know?"

He paused, then smiled at her as if he did not just question her loyalty or threaten to bench her.

"Walk with me Shego," he said and swept his hand before him. "Please."

888

They walked into the maze of underground tunnels which formed a part of their secret lair. Shego looked at all of the display rooms, realizing that in the past two months Drakken had really been _busy_. He had all sorts of new study material, from an elaborate torture chamber involving puppets to a giant octopus that had supposedly swallowed three scientists already. Shego wondered why the other scientists continued to mess around with it but then she figured that people with a high IQ had the survival instincts of a lemming, their sense of self preservation overrun by the need to know what will happen if they do _this_.

Drakken led her to a section she had not seen in a while and when she stopped there she couldn't help but seriously doubt her employer's sanity.

"Dr. D," she said hesitatingly as she looked through the window. "What the hell is this?"

To her surprise, Drakken looked incredibly pleased with himself. "Do you like it?" he queried. "I call it Teenage Wasteland!"

It could've been any teenager's bedroom. There were pictures of Britina on the wall, magazines and clothes distributed all over the floor and Shego could vaguely hear the pounding of music which escaped the glass. To add to the bizarreness of the display, there were several scientists lounging around the room, either dancing to the music, reading one of the many magazines or chatting on the telephone in an animated fashion.

Shego wondered how much they were being paid to do this...

"It's... unique," she said – realizing that Drakken was still waiting for her response. "But, why?"

"It's my latest research project," Dr. Drakken said happily and for a moment Shego wondered whether he had forgotten that he was irritated with her. _That would be convenient..._ "By studying the stimuli affecting the teenage mind I can get into Kim Possible's psyche and discover her weakness. And, it is here Shego that you can help me." He turned to smile at her. "You spend a considerable amount of time with her. You got into her mind, you saw her at her most vulnerable. Heck, _you_ broke her heart. I can use that, _we_ can use that to crush her."

There was a spark of rebellion in her, a twist of pain which she could not describe. She had done what she had deemed best when she decided to blow Kim off on that fateful night on the university grounds. Fearing that she might corrupt the teenager, but secretly fearing how vulnerable a relationship might make her she had turned her back on Kim Possible, lying to her to spare her. It had made sense at the time but it was only when the teenager was gone that she realized that it wasn't as easy as she had thought it would be, that she cared for Kim more than she cared to admit and that her absence and her anger was like a two edged sword in her side.

She loved Kim or thought that she did.

"Shego," Drakken said sternly. "You are zoning out on me." His face became hard. "I'm going to remind you of our chat from earlier. If you can't do this Shego, if you can't be loyal to me and me alone, then I will sit you out. I can't use someone who is not absolutely and positively loyal to me. That is where mistakes are made. Like today with Nakasumi."

She flinched and looked away from him, still seeing Kim dangling from her grapple line.

"I am loyal to you, Dr. D," she said softly. "I am. Really. What do you need me to do?"

Drakken smiled as another scientist came forward, clutching a jacket in his hands with a worried expression.

"Tell me what would hurt the most," he said and motioned to the man to come forward. "Tell me what would hurt Kim Possible so much that she would not have the energy to fight against me."

888

And of course, then there was the peer pressure.

Not only did she have to try and deal with insane super villains constantly trying to overtake the world but she had to remain focused enough to survive the tricky paths of teenage girl in particular was becoming more and more of a problem with the prom coming closer.

"Look Bonnie, I still don't understand what your problem is," she pointed out as they headed to the showers after practice. "So what if I go to the prom with Ron? It's just another dance."

"Just another dance?" Her school rival snorted. "That just shows you how much _you_ know. The prom is like _the_ dance. Who you go with will decide the fate of the rest of your _life_. If you go with a looser, chances are you're going to end up like one. These things stick Kim. It's a proven fact."

"Oh please," Kim retorted. "Like when and how?"

Bonnie smiled, her face evil. "Remember Eliza Donnell from when we were freshmen? She was the head cheerleader but _she_ decided to do her cousin's friend a favour and go with him to the prom. He was into _role-playing games_. Now look where she is, pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen." Bonnie hesitated. "Of course," she said. "Maybe that's the type of life you want. How would I know?"

Kim glared at her, angry at the young girl's words and even angrier that she was letting it get to her.

"Nobody is in control of whether or not _I_ make a success of my life," she said. "Saying that it depends on who I go to the prom with is just _lame_. And you know what, maybe I _want_ to go with Ron."

Bonnie chuckled, unconvinced by her words. "And you know what that says about you right?" she sneered. "That you aren't good enough to get a BF of your own, that you have to use your best buddy from kindergarten to get you places. Or, maybe – because you want to go with him means that you just don't want to go with any of the other cute boys out there. Maybe it says that you are lesbian."

She replied without thinking, her anger providing her with fuel for her denial. "I am _not_ a lesbian," she said. "Dammit Bonnie, I don't even look at girls! Just because I don't have a damned boyfriend doesn't mean I play for the other side!"

Still smiling as if she had accomplished something, Bonnie shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said. "But don't blame me when you commit social suicide. Or when you end up barefoot and pregnant in some dodgy kitchen downtown." She flipped her hair as she turned around and picked up her gym bag. She left without another word with the rest of the girls glancing first at Kim before they followed out.

Kim stared at them, the ache in her heart over Shego's betrayal flaring up without warning.

_How dare they?_ She thought as she tried to push away the tears that were burning behind her eyes. _How dare they make such assumptions?_ She swallowed and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to try and control her emotions.

_How dare she? How dare she?_

888

"Girl, that is flawed," Monique was saying later when she, Kim and Ron were at Bueno Nachos for their regular Naco night date. Kim had just explained most of the conversation that she had had with Bonnie with her friend and the teen was not impressed. "You have got to stop paying Bonnie any attention."

Kim sighed, wishing that she could tell Monique what was really bothering her.

"I know, I know," she said. "But, what if in some weird Bonnie way she's right? I mean... I weird guys out. Nobody's interested in me, half of the boys in school are _intimidated_ by me. What if that says something about my future?"

Monique snorted and sat back with a wave of her hand. "All it says bout you is that you are a strong, independent woman," she said. "Who knows what's right and wrong and who likes to save the world? They'd be lucky to be half the person that you are."

Kim shook her head and frowned at Monique. "I don't want them to be like me," she said. "I just want them to date me every now and again. Is that too much to ask? I'm always round housing some goon on television. What if they start thinking that I'm... you know..."

Monique raised an eyebrow. "Fit, strong, sexy in cargo pants?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "Gay Monique," she said in a near whisper. "What if the reason nobody wants to see me is because they think that I'm not that into guys. That... That I like girls or something. Am I giving off the wrong image?"

To her surprise, Monique laughed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Any girl would be lucky to have you girl friend," she pointed out. "Really, come off it. It's not that big a deal! Did Bonnie say something about this?"

Sighing again, Kim changed her position on the chair so that she could sit with her head in her hands. "Yeah," she muttered. "And yeah, I know, I should stop listening to her. But really Monique, just once I'd like it if a guy just... drops out of the sky and like me..."

There was a sudden crash next to their table as Ron stumbled over his own shoe laces to get to them. "KIM!" He hollered. "They've cancel Naco Night! We have to do something about it!" He paused as he picked himself up. "And... about our bill, do you have two bucks?"

Ignoring the amused look Monique was giving her Kim wordlessly handed Ron the money. When he left, Monique chuckled and sat forward.

"Ask and ye shall receive," she said to which Kim groaned.

"I did not mean Ron Monique," she pointed out. "Really."

The other young woman laughed. "I know, I know," she said. "But honestly Kim I don't really see any problem with you going to the prom with Ron. I mean heck, I'm going on my own. I don't have to prove anything to nobody. And neither do you."

It was a noble idea, but Kim couldn't shake the uncomfortable sensation that had settled in her stomach.

_You might not have something to prove,_ she thought sadly. _But I do, to myself and everybody else._

888

_To Be Continued... _

_AN: Good day everybody, _

_This is a short chapter to get myself back into this. I apologise for my late updating, I've been terribly busy this year (work isn't all it's cut out to be) and I had trouble with my computer. _

_Expect more soon. :) _

_Alyss._


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